


Carbon Copies

by Hazzaandloubearforever



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mpreg, Pregnancy complications, Pregnant Louis, Supportive Harry, Twins, hospital birth, natural birth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-30
Updated: 2014-05-30
Packaged: 2018-01-27 15:09:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1715021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hazzaandloubearforever/pseuds/Hazzaandloubearforever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Cheshire man rushed into the bathroom, eyes wide in panic when he found his husband splayed on the tub floor, hands shaking as he struggled to stand. "Oh, God, Lou!" Harry gasped, shutting off the shower, ignoring his now soaked sleeve and wrapped a towel around his lover's body. He gripped Louis' forearms, hoisting the pregnant man out of the tub before easing him onto the toilet seat. "Are you okay, baby?"</p><p>Louis sniffled, snuggling closer to his husband before he burst into body-wrenching sobs. "Th-The babies...they're not m-moving."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Carbon Copies

"Harry!" Louis screamed, scrambling to get up from the floor of the bathtub. This was the fifth time this month and if the twins weren't in harm’s way those times, Louis was sure they were now.

The Cheshire man rushed into the bathroom, eyes wide in panic when he found his husband splayed on the tub floor, hands shaking as he struggled to stand. "Oh, God, Lou!" Harry gasped, shutting off the shower, ignoring his now soaked sleeve and wrapped a towel around his lover's body. He gripped Louis' forearms, hoisting the pregnant man out of the tub before easing him onto the toilet seat. "Are you okay, baby?"

Louis sniffled, snuggling closer to his husband before he burst into body-wrenching sobs. "Th-The babies...they're not m-moving."

The last seven months had been an emotional roller coaster. From the day Louis and Harry found out they were expecting, they've had major complications. First, Louis' morning sickness had been so severe he ended up so dehydrated that the poor lad had to be hospitalized for the first fifteen weeks to ensure their child--they had no knowledge of the second baby at the time--would make it out of the first trimester. When the couple did find out they were expecting twins, Louis' OBGYN labeled his pregnancy high risk and that's what it's been from the beginning.

"Do you want me to call Dr. Roland?" Harry offered, toweling off his husband as he peppered loving kisses to his cheeks and eyelids.

"Y-Yes," the blue-eyed man sniffled, wrapping his arms around his large belly, whispering to their babies, hoping--praying that they'd move to ensure that they were alright.

"Alright, love," Harry nodded, pecking Louis' lips before he stood up. He gently grabbed Louis' arms and helped him to his feet, wrapping a secure arm around his large waist and led him to their bedroom. The younger male sat his husband on the bed, pressing a reassuring kiss to his lips before stroking his face. "Lemme get your favorite sweats and jumper, yeah?"

"Kay," Louis whispered, rubbing his belly. He just wanted their babies to be alright. He should have let Harry take a shower with him but he was being stubborn not to mention self-conscious at the fact that he had gained three sizes in clothing and felt like a whale more than anything. He didn't want his husband to see him like that anymore; be disgusted over his new figure and demanded he take a shower on his own. Harry, being the loving husband he was, granted Louis his request albeit the underlying fear of what could happen if Louis showered alone. "This is my fault."

Harry glanced over at his husband, jumper and trackies in hand as he listened to Louis berate himself over the issues the couple had dealt with over the last seven months. It was breaking the Cheshire's heart. None of this was Louis' fault. Not every pregnancy went smoothly and theirs just happened to more difficult than some.  
"This isn't your fault, Loubear," Harry chimed in, shuffling back over to his lover and setting the clothes onto the bed before taking a seat next to him. The curly-brunette took both of his husband's hands in his own and peered into glassy, cobalt orbs. "Some families are blessed with an easy pregnancy and others have to struggle to get their bundle of joy. In our case, getting our little bundles is a challenge but we haven't given up hope."

Louis peered down into emerald eyes, tears brimming in the pregnant man's. "Wh-What if I can't carry them to term, Haz? What if—

"Shh, don't talk like that," Harry hushed him, pulling one hand free to cup his cheek. "You will carry them to full term. In two months, Skylar and Declan will be in our arms, healthy and perfect."

Louis wondered what he could have possibly done in his past to deserve someone so caring and supportive like his husband. From the very beginning, Harry had been by his side. Harry was there when he had to carry Louis back to bed because vomiting had exhausted him to the point of immobility. He was there when the blue-eyed man was admitted into the hospital, refusing to leave his bedside until he was discharged.

Harry was always the optimistic one. When Louis was sixteen week along, a week after he was discharged, he woke up in the middle of the night, sheets bloodstained and suffering horrid abdominal pain. The Doncaster lad was certain he was miscarrying but Harry refused to believe it, telling his husband that he was only spotting; that there was nothing to worry about despite the fact that the Cheshire man was panicking internally.

"I don't deserve you," Louis whimpered, burying his face in his hands as he began to sob.

The younger male frowned and pulled his husband into his arms, one hand carding through his hair as he tried to soothe him. "Oh, sweetheart, it's me that doesn't deserve you."

Louis' head snapped up, eyes wide in disbelief, "H-How can you e-even say that!? I-I've gained all this weight a-and I keep e-ending up in the hospital. I can't d-do anything r-right! -I'm a wreck!"

"Loubabe," Harry chuckled, stroking his cheek. "You're absolutely perfect. You've done everything to keep our babies alive. Every day that I wake up to this beautiful face, I fall more in love with you."

The pregnant man explored Harry's features for any false bravado and smiled slightly when he found nothing other than pure love and sincerity. "R-Really?"

"Really," Harry affirmed, kissing his husband's nose. "Now, let's get you dressed and all warmed up so I can call Dr. Roland."

"Kay," the Doncaster lad answered softly, voice barely above a whisper. Harry smiled fondly and helped his lover into a pair of boxer shorts and trackies before pressing tender kisses to his belly.  
"Haz, they're moving!" Louis squealed, grabbing his husband's wrist and placing his large hand against the spot where one of the twins were kicking. "Do you feel 'em, Haz? They're moving!"

Harry's cheeks split with a shit-eating grin as he pressed his hand fully against Louis' swollen belly, chuckling when one of their children nudged his hand. "Oi, you're gonna make daddy hurt. Ease up, little one."

"They're already making me ache," Louis giggled. "They've made my insides a bloody football field."

"That's not nice, little ones. Daddy needs to relax just like you two," Harry cooed, earning another nudge to his hand.

"They love your voice, Hazza," Louis murmured, running his fingers through the chocolate curls. The cheshire man peered up at his husband with the utmost adoration; it made Louis' heart skip a beat.

"Yeah? Should I speak to them more?"

"Why not?" Louis shrugged.

"You still want me to call Dr. R?"

"Please?"

"Of course," the taller male nodded with a contagious grin, pressing another kiss to his belly before pecking Louis' lips and exiting the bedroom.

***

"The babies are in distress, Louis. What could have happened to put them this way?" Dr. Roland asked, wiping the gel off Louis' belly.

"I fell in the bathtub," the pregnant man mumbled, tears pooling in his eyes again, pulling his jumper back over his bump.

Harry was quick to soothe the upset man, kneeling on the bed and stroking his hair back as he pressed an affectionate kiss to his temple. "Shh, baby, it's alright. You're okay, the babies will be okay. Everything's alright."

Harry and Louis were Dr. Roland's favorite couple. She had never seen a husband as supportive as Harry was to Louis. The Cheshire lad never seemed to waver when it came to dedication. He never missed an appointment, refused to leave Louis' bedside when he was hospitalized and, from Louis' explanation, rushed out at all hours of the night to fulfill whatever the Doncaster craved. Dr. Roland knew the two were soul mates and not a day went by that she didn't doubt it.  
"You're at twenty-nine weeks, Louis," the doctor noted. "In order to deliver the babies healthily, you need to make it another ten."

"I'll do anything, Dr. Roland. Please, just keep them alive," Louis pleaded, snuggling into his husband's side.

Dr. R packed up the portable ultrasound as she glanced at Louis. "It's up to you now, Louis. I've done all that I can."

"Do you recommend any techniques, advice, or certain food that should be considered for the next ten weeks?" Harry asked the petite woman, idly carding his fingers through Louis' hair hoping it'd soothe him.

"No more showers alone, to start off," she replied. "Continue with your daily regimen and I think I'm going to place you on bed rest with the exception of our visits which I'm going to make weekly here on out, at least until the twins are born."

"Whatever you say, goes, doctor," Harry nodded. "I'll make sure Louis doesn't lift a finger."

"Good. He needs to be and remain in a stress free environment otherwise he'll go into pre-term labor."

"He will be," the Cheshire man assured, giving Louis a pointed look.

"I will. I'll take it easy," the pregnant man promised.

"Good, now I want you to relax and let your husband take care of you, Louis. He's a keeper," she giggled, winking at the younger male.

"I know," Louis smiled fondly, snuggling even closer to his husband. "He's my Achilles’ heel."

***

A sharp pain startled the Doncaster lad awake, hands flying to his swollen belly. He fumbled for the switch on the bedside table, blinking so his eyes could adjust to the dim light. His eyes widened in alarm when he saw the bed soaked between his legs.

"Hazza! Hazza, wake up!" Louis panicked, slapping at his husband's leg.

Harry blinked awake, more alert when he saw the frenzied expression on his lover's face. "What's the matter, Lou?"

"The bed's wet, I think I'm bleeding again," Louis whimpered, panicked cobalt eyes staring back into Harry's. "The babies..."

Harry's eyes widened, scrambling to get out of their bed. They had made it eight more weeks without pretense. The younger male waited hand and foot on Louis, making sure his husband didn't lift a finger and remained in a stress-free environment. He fed him whatever he desired, made love to him whenever Louis asked and refused to let his husband take showers alone. Dr. Roland had even said the babies were developing nicely during their weekly visits; that they were no longer in distress. What had the couple done wrong?

"S'gonna be okay, baby, I promise," The Cheshire man assured, walking to the wall across the bed and flicking the switch. The bed lamp was too dim to clearly see what the bed was soaked with. Harry had a hunch that Louis' water may have broken but he wanted to make sure.

Louis squinted at the harsh light flooding the room, forearm coming up to cover his eyes as his husband mumbled a quick apology. Harry walked to Louis' side, peeling the comforter back and sighing in relief when the fluid staining the pale green sheets was colorless.

"It's just your water, baby," Harry smiled, more in relief than anything, caressing Louis' cheek. "C'mon, let's get you to the hospital."

The pregnant man nodded, grabbing Harry's arms as leverage to hoist himself out of bed. Louis cried out when he stood, a gut wrenching pain searing through his body, causing his legs to buckle. Harry's reflexes were quick, catching his husband before he collapsed and easing him back onto the bed. "Oh, God," he groaned, eyes snapping shut.

"Breathe, baby, that's it. Just like that," Harry coached, pulling the older make into his arms and kneading his back. "In through your nose, out with your mouth."

Louis tried to focus on his husband's words, grasping the back of Harry's navy tee with a white-knuckled grip. "I-It hurts..."

"I know, baby, I think you've started labor," Harry hummed, rubbing his back.

Louis' eyes widened when everything registered, pulling back to stare at the curly brunette in absolute horror. "N-No! I'm two weeks early! They c-can't be born, Harry!"

Harry wished he could change the current situation, rid Louis of the pain and hysteria. It had been a tough nine months and although they were two weeks out, the younger lad was sure the twins would be alright if they were delivered tonight.

"We don't have a choice, sweetheart," Harry sighed. "Just sit here and lemme get your jumper and moccasins, m'kay?"

"H-Hurry, Haz," Louis groaned, gripping the edge of the bed as another contraction washed over him. "I can feel one of them dropping."

"Already!?" the younger man gasped, already darting into the closet to grab Louis' jumper.  
"Y-Yes..."  
"Alright, love, we'll make it, stay calm alright? Just breathe for me," the curly brunette coached from the closet, returning to his husband with his jumper and slippers, bending down to slip Louis' feet into the soft shoes. He helped the pregnant man into his oversized jumper before helping him stand. "Let's get you into the car and I'll get your bag ready."

"Okay," Louis whispered, praying another contraction wouldn't come for a while. More contractions meant a rushed delivery to Louis and he couldn't bear the thought of one of the twins being in danger if he had to deliver naturally.

***

"Haz, I'm scared," Louis cried, gripping the bars of the hospital bed, tears trekking down his cheeks.

The poor lad had been in labor for the last four hours and each time Dr. Roland came to check Louis for dilation, there was no progress. His doctor had declared him in active labor, but the babies refused to move. Louis' first thought was that they were stillborn.

"I know, Lou, so am I," Harry finally admitted, stroking Louis' fringe back while his other hand rubbed his husband's stomach as they spooned. "S'gonna be alright."

"What if they're stillborn? There's no movement inside, Harry!" The older male began to panic, breathing becoming haggard.

The last thing the Doncaster lad needed was to put their twins in distress. Harry's eyes widened as he grabbed Louis' face and kissed him soundly. "They're not stillborn, baby, look," Harry told him, pointing to the uterine monitor. "See, they're alive. They're just getting into position so they can be born."

Louis sniffled and followed Harry's finger, watching the monitor beat steadily, telling the couple that their babies were still alive. "Haz, I'm so sorry," the pregnant man cried, carefully turning in his husband's arms, careful of the tubes and wires attached to him and his belly. "I-I...this is my f-fault!"

"Hey, hey, shh," the Cheshire lad soothed, caressing Louis' cheek. He needed to keep his lover relaxed. Louis' pregnancy was already high risk and the littlest panic attack could put the babies back in distress or even worse. "This isn't your fault, Loubear. We didn't know your pregnancy would be this challenging."

"M-Maybe if I ate differently o-or exercised more...th-this wouldn't have happened. I wouldn't have been hospitalized...I wouldn't have bled during my first trimester."

It broke Harry's heart to see Louis beat himself up over their babies' health. The curly brunette understood that every pregnancy was different. Some were more difficult than others. Their nine month journey had been a rocky one, but Harry believed they'd bring their babies home. "We couldn't have prevented any of this, baby. The twins just aren't compatible with your body but they're strong, love. They've made it this far, and they'll make it forty years from now.”

Louis' response to Harry's explanation was cut off when a strong, strung out contraction wracked his body, the pregnant man crying out. "Shit!" Louis cried, gripping his husband's upper arms. "H-Haz..."

"M'right here, baby, right here," Harry cooed, whispering encouraging words to his lover as Louis tried to breathe evenly.

"N-No, Hazza...the b-baby..."

"Huh?" Harry furrowed his brows, staring at his husband, trying to figure out what was wrong. 

"Baby, what is it?"

"O-One of them is crowning!" the Doncaster man screeched, rolling on to his back and dropping his legs open, sudden urge to push stronger than before. "I need to push..."

"What!?" Harry gasped, shuffling off the bed. He grabbed the call button, pressing it frantically before dropping the small device and lifting his husband's gown. He paled at the sight, the beginning of a tiny skull trying to push through. "Holy shit, love, they're right here..."

"I kno-oww!" Louis screeched, gripping the metal bars and hunching forward, anything to rid himself of the excruciating burn. "H-Hazza, this hurts. H-Hurts so fucking much," Louis panted, sweat beginning to bead along his forehead.

"I know, Lou, I know, but you've got to push. For me. For Skylar and Declan. I know you want to meet them," Harry encouraged, hoping those words would spark something new in Louis.

Two nurses and their OBGYN rushed into the room, Harry quickly stepping out of their way and returning to his husband's side. He took Louis' hand in his own, giving it a reassuring squeeze before pressing a light kiss to his knuckles. "You can do this, baby, I believe in you.  
One of the nurses hastily placed Louis' legs into the stirrups, Dr. Roland slipping on her gloves and plopping herself down in between Louis' legs. "Baby's head is crowning, Louis. Nice big push for me," she instructed, constantly glancing at the uterine monitor to gauge the babies' heart rates.

Louis lurched forward and bore down as he felt his muscles contract, willing the first baby out. This whole process was becoming tiresome and Harry noticed the exhaustion taking over Louis. He slipped an arm around Louis' back and helped him lean forward, spouting out supporting words.

"That's it, Louis, you're doing very well," Dr. Roland praised, pressing against Louis' swollen opening, towel draped over her arms waiting for the baby's arrival.

"Ahh!" Louis gave a garbled scream, the head finally popping free. Louis collapsed into the pillows for a short reprieve, panting heavily as he glanced up at his husband. "Christ..." The burning was still there, but not as gruesome as it was a few minutes ago.

Harry smiled down at his lover, wiping off his forehead with a small cloth. "Doing so well, love, so proud of you."

"Alright, Louis, on the next contraction, I want you to give me a big push so the shoulders can pass. Once you've got one loose, I'll be able to assist you with the other and pull the baby free."

The pregnant man nodded, glancing up at his lover again with an expression that looked somewhat like defeat, fringe matted to his forehead. "Th-They're too early, Haz."

Harry leaned forward to give his husband a quick, chaste kiss, squeezing his hand gently. Half of their first child was nearly born. There was no turning back now. Their babies were going to be born tonight against Louis' request. "They'll be fine, sweetheart. We won't lose them. Right now you've got to focus on pushing, baby boy. Can you do that for me? Skylar and Declan need to be born."

The jade eyes peering back at him with nothing but pure faith and hopefulness were what fueled him to bore down and push again; get past all the pain and desperation of delivering their first born.

"O-Okay," Louis swallowed, gripping Harry's hand tightly and lurching forward with his husband's support and using all the strength he could muster to push their child out, giving a strangled cry when a shoulder breeched through followed by the other. "A-Ahh--OW!"

Dr. Roland gripped beneath the baby's tiny arms and pulled them free, earning a strung out groan from the older male. "It's a girl!" the doctor called out, plopping the baby on Louis' chest before she grabbed the suction bulb and cleared the infant's nose and mouth. "Congratulations, daddies."

"Oh, my, God," Louis gasped as he started to cry, wiping the fluids off their baby's quaking body. A nurse wiped the baby's face, smiling when the girl started wailing, clearly upset that she was taken from her warm home. The sound of their daughter's first cry sent the pregnant man into another bout of tears. "H-Haz, look at her."

"I see her, baby," Harry croaked out, wiping his own tears. 

It had been an uphill battle from day one and all most of those fears had come to a rest seeing their daughter wiggling and screaming on his husband's chest. Baby Ava Monroe was finally here. Now, all they had to do was bring their son into the world safe and sound and their life would be complete.

"Alright, Lou, just rest a minute until her brother decides to join us," Dr. Roland told him, smiling at the new family.  
"What are we naming this one?" A nurse asked, coming to take the baby much to the parents' annoyance. Louis just delivered their baby. He didn't want to give her up.

"Skylar Monroe," Louis whispered, reluctantly handing Skylar over to another nurse.

"Skylar Monroe Styles, five pounds, four ounces and twenty inches long. Born at 12:57 am," the nurse announced as she wrote the information down. "You're a cutie, love," the woman giggled down at the newborn on the weighing table, the baby exploring the new and noisy world she was brought into.

"She's healthy, Lou," Harry beamed, putting both parents at ease as he leaned forward to kiss his husband deeply. Louis gave a watery, tired laugh, cupping Harry's cheek and pulling his face closer to deepen the kiss until the monitors suddenly went hectic, the high pitched beeping slowly dropping. What strength Louis had left instantly leaving his body as his hand flopped back to the bed, the pregnant lad going limp. "Louis?" The monitors tracking Louis and their son's heart rates slowing by the minute as the Doncaster's eyes fluttered shut. "Louis, wake up! Dr. Roland, what's going on!?"

The OBGYN rushed to Louis' side, ignoring Harry's cry, checking Louis' pupils before she started firing off orders to the attending nurses. "Harry, Louis and your son's heart rates are dropping. Declan is suffocating."

"WHAT!?" Harry shrieked, eyes darting to his limp husband as two nurses put up the guard rails while another drug the ivy along. "Save them both, Dr. Roland! Please! I c-can't lose them..."

This was the younger male's breaking point. Watching his husband fall limp, swollen belly and all while the monitors beeped dangerously slow. He couldn't bear the thought of raising their daughter with the notion that he lost his husband and son. He wouldn't be able to survive without Louis. He couldn't survive without Louis. Harry stood petrified as he watched the nurses wheel his husband out of the room, eyes welling with tears again, hands trembling in fear.

"I'm going to take care of them both, Harry," the obstetrician assured, giving the curly brunette a reassuring smile hoping it would alleviate some of the tension. "I'm the best obstetrician in Holmes Chapel. I'll save your son and husband."

Harry sniffled with a curt not. He knew Dr. Roland was more than capable of delivering Declan all the while keeping his husband alive. With a caring smile, Dr. Roland turned on her heel and followed after the bed, stopping at the doorway to stare back at the distraught man. The petite woman sighed, closing her eyes before walking back to Harry and clapping a hand over the Cheshire's shoulder. "Your daughter's in the nursery, dear. Go hold her, be with her. I'll come find you when your son is delivered."

Harry shook his head frantically. "I need to be with Louis," Harry croaked. "Please, Dr. Roland, let me be in there with him."

Dr. Roland didn't have time to argue. The OR was prepped and waiting on her to perform the cesarean. She quickly nodded, instructing Harry to follow as she supplied him with information. Harry listened closely, stripping out of his clothes and into a pair of blue scrubs a nurse handed him.

Another nurse led the frantic man to the operating room, Harry paling at the sight of his husband lying lifeless on the table, a breathing tube down his throat that was delivering oxygen to the brain, sheet separating his head from the rest of his body. 

"Oh, Louis," Harry cried, walking up to his unconscious lover and slipping his hand into Louis' limp one. The nurse who had measured Skylar brought Harry a stool, smiling sympathetically at him. Harry quietly thanked her, setting the chair beside Louis and gripping his husband's hand for all it was worth. "Love, you have to make it for me, okay? For Skylar and Declan. They need their mummy and I need my husband."

Having only silence answer him in return tugged at Harry's heart. Gazing down at the pale and still face he was so used to seeing with rosy cheeks and a crooked grin was too much to bear. He desperately wanted to see those beautiful sapphire eyes again, wanted to hear that laugh that made Harry giddy inside; the laugh that he could never tire of. He wanted to see his husband hold their children for the first time, wanted to hear that velvet voice that would lull the twins to sleep; that same velvet voice that could also leave the Cheshire man all hot and bothered. Never hearing those sounds he had grown to love so much would be the death of him.

The anxious man cupped Louis' face and leaned over, planting an upside down kiss against his lover's still lips. "Keep your heart beating for me, Lou, you hear me?" Harry murmured, a few tears rolling off his face and landing on Louis' colorless cheeks. "P-Please, Louis, baby, please."  
"Beginning incision now," Dr. Roland announced and Harry clutched Louis' hand tighter, eyes glued to his husband's heart monitor, praying the steady beat never wavered.

Harry waited with bated breath as the obstetrician retrieved their son, the Cheshire lad stroking Louis's face and murmuring sweet nothings to him, more so to keep himself from panicking. All the two ever wanted was a baby. A perfect, healthy baby that had Harry's eyes with Louis' crooked smile and nose or maybe Louis' eyes with Harry's curls and lanky body.

They were ecstatic when they were blessed with two, but never in a million years did either man believe Louis would undergo so many complications. For the longest time, the Doncaster believed it was God punishing him for being gay and a carrier; that he didn't deserve to be happy. Louis wouldn't dare voice those thoughts to his husband, already knowing Harry's judgment about that. Even when pessimism consumed Louis, Harry was always there to pull him back to optimism, placing butterfly kisses all over his face and murmuring saccharine lexemes; anything to keep those malice thoughts away.

The sound of a faint cry pulled Harry back to reality and away from his wayward thoughts. He gasped when Dr. Roland lifted the baby over the blue sheet for Harry to see. "A little boy, Harry. Born at 1:36 am." Harry's eyes welled with tears at the bloody, cherub face, scrunched up in anger. The baby was too swollen now, but he was sure Declan had all of Louis' features.  
"Did you hear that, Loubear?" Harry whispered to his unconscious husband. "Declan's here and he looks just like you." Harry cried, glancing up at the wiggling newborn in Dr. Roland's arms, red and angry now the he was exposed to the cold air. "He's beautiful, baby. You need to wake up so you can see him."

"He's got a healthy set of lungs, Harry. We're going to get him measured and cleaned off so he can join his sister."

"And Louis? H-He's okay now, yeah?" the Cheshire man asked, eyes drifting to his husband's monitor, Louis' heart beat getting stronger by the second.

The OBGYN handed Declan off to a nurse who quickly put the infant under the warmer. "Louis is going to be just fine, Harry. The drugs will wear off in the next twelve to twenty-four hours and he may feel a little discomfort from the surgery, but he'll be okay."

Harry sighed in relief, glancing down at his sleeping lover, stroking his pale cheeks. "And the breathing tube?"

"I'll remove it as soon as he's out of surgery," Roland smiled warmly. "He's going to be fine, Harry, why don't you go see your children?"

Harry was hesitant, pursing his lips. He didn't want to leave his husband but he knew Roland and her staff would take care of him. "Alright," the taller male finally agreed. He rose from the stool, bending forward to plant a chaste kiss against his lover's lips. "I'll be right here when you wake up, Lou. I love you."

***

There was pain everywhere. That's all that seemed to register in Louis' brain. It radiated through Louis' entire body and he couldn't sleep any longer. Was he even awake? Everything was black and anything he heard sounded tunneled.

"Loubabe?" came a familiar voice. Louis knew that voice! Harry! Every part of the Doncaster man wanted to see those jade eyes again. Only Louis couldn't. Something kept him back; kept him in this deep slumber he desperately wanted to get out of. "Sweetheart, can you hear me?"

Yes! Louis wanted to tell him. His body felt like lead, though, like lifting his hand was such an arduous chore. Unconscious Louis wracked his brain, trying to remember everything that could have led up to this unexplainable pain and darkness. As if gears locked into place, everything came flooding back to the blue-eyed man. His babies! Where were they? Were they okay? Was Declan alive? So many daunting thoughts plagued his mind, he desperately wanted these questions answered. Louis needed to wake up; wake up and have his qualms put to rest.

With newfound strength and determination, the older man's eyes fluttered open, cobalt orbs squinting at the harsh default lights in the hospital room. His throat burned, parched from lack of food and water. Louis went to move his hand, finding a strong, warm hand larger than his over his icy and ivied one. The new parent smiled tiredly at the mop of curls splayed across his lap as his lover slept soundly.

"H-Haz," Louis croaked, using every bit of strength to lift the arm Harry wasn't using as a pillow and try to run through the chocolate tresses. "Hazza, baby."

Louis' voice was strained and it burned, parched from the lack of being used. There was no way Harry could hear him, considering the younger male was out cold. Perhaps Louis would have to wait until his husband woke up before he could question the last few hours...or was it days?

A nurse doing her rounds entered Louis' room, eyes widening slightly when he saw her patient alert and trying to get his husband's attention. "Oh, Mr. Styles, you're awake!" she beamed, comforting smile on her withered face.

"Please call me Louis," he whispered, voice too hoarse to speak any louder. Mr. Styles sounded too formal. "H-How long have I been out?"

"A little over two days, dear," she replied, bustling around the room and checking Louis' monitors.

"Two days!?" Louis croaked, immediately regretting it as his throat screamed in protest. His startled cry jolted Harry awake, eyes bleary before they focused on his conscious husband.

"Loubear, you're awake!" Harry cheered, voice huskier than usual, the effects of waking up. "Are you in pain, baby?"

The Doncaster man was about to reply until he caught sight of Harry's swollen red eyes, dark purple bags marring the beautiful jade. What had happened in the span of two days for his husband to look like this? "Haz, 'ave you been crying?"

"Baby, I'm fine, are you in pain?" Harry pushed for a second time, ready to jump on a nurse to up the morphine.

"I'm a bit sore, really thirsty actually," Louis whispered, cobalt eyes raking over his husband's appearance. His husband was wearing the same scoop-neck tee and trackies he had worn when they brought Louis in. Had Harry been by Louis' side for the last two days?

"Thirsty, of course," Harry commented, rushing over to the tray and pouring his husband a glass of chilled water. He brought the paper cup to Louis' lips, helping him sip the drink. "That bet'ah?"

"Much, thank you," Louis murmured, smiling gratefully. "Where's our babies? Are you they okay? I-I don't remember what happened except that Skylar was born and then--oh, God!" The Doncaster lad started to panic, ignoring the searing pain radiating around his middle. "Where's Declan?! Is he...is he..." Louis shook his head, he couldn't finish that sentence, tears brimming in his eyes. He didn't want to find out his son didn't make it,  
"Whoa, baby, breathe," Harry cooed, running a hand through his fringe. "They're fine, love. Healthy and perfect."

"R-Really?" Louis croaked, wiping at his eyes. "They're perfect? No c-complications?"

"None whatsoever, baby," Harry beamed, leaning forward and planting a loving kiss to his lover's lips. "You did great, love. You brought them into the world, safe and sound."

Louis deepened the kiss, smiling against his lips, ivied hand cupping his husband's cheek. "Can I see them? I want to meet our babies," Louis whispered when they broke away.

"Of course." The younger man smiled, pecking Louis' lips a final time before he left the room to retrieve their babies.

Harry and a nurse returned a few minutes later wheeling in two clear cots, one with a purple bundle and the other with a green one. Louis could already feel the tears welling in his eyes as his babies came into view. Harry carefully lifted the closest to Louis, Skylar, out of her cot and placed the sleeping infant into one of his husband's arms before grabbing Declan and placing him in the other.

The moment his children were cradled to Louis' chest, the older male started to sob. The two babies that he literally fought tooth and nail to keep inside for nine months were finally here; safe and sound where they belonged.

"Hi, babies," Louis sniffled, pressing a soft kiss to each of their tiny hat-covered heads. "Feels like I've waited an eternity for both of you."

Both babies paid no mind to their daddy, sleeping was more important to them at the moment. Declan twitched in his sleep, Skylar yawning before she blinked awake and stared up at her mummy.

"Well, would you look at that," Louis gasped with a tired giggle. "She's got your eyes, Hazza. She's a spitting image of you, actually."

"Declan has your eyes, babe," Harry chuckled, admiring the sight before him. "He's a carbon copy of you."

Louis giggled when Skylar put her tiny fingers into her mouth and sucked lazily as she gazed around the room with wide green eyes. "Our little carbon copies."

Skylar Monroe Styles (5 lbs., 4 oz., 21 inches long, born @ 12:57 am)  
Declan Elijah Styles (6 lbs., 5 oz., 20 inches long, born @ 1:36 am)


End file.
